As Ruth Wilson, marketing chair of the DECT Forum, explained to us, this short-range communication technology is ideal for cordless phones because it operates on a wavelength far away from those of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and other signals on the wireless spectrum that could potentially interfere. DECT 6.0: This is the wireless standard that allows a cordless handset to communicate with the base, and it’s included in nearly any phone you can buy today.Though we think all cordless phones have annoying menus, some are less frustrating than others. You have to use fixed keys that aren’t necessarily in an intuitive place, and you must use T9-style typing (imagine texting on a cell phone with a fixed number pad) when you fill your address book with names.

Intuitive menu systems: On cordless phones, menus and navigation are universally bad compared with the touchscreen smartphone interfaces people are now accustomed to.In our research, we gave bonus points for any feature that stopped the phone from ringing unless it was someone we wanted to hear from. More-advanced phones offer pre-screening that prevents robocalls from getting to you in the first place. On some phones, this is an active thing-you press a button when a spam call comes in, and that number moves to a block list so it’s blocked going forward. Call-blocking features: With the increasing prevalence of robocalls, it’s important that phones offer an effective way to block them.Whether that’s true or not, you shouldn’t have to struggle to make out what the person on the other end is saying. It’s commonly believed that home phones sound better than cell phones. Audio quality: A great cordless phone offers crisp, clear, loud audio for both you and the person you’re calling.Of course, these figures pertain to use in perfect conditions, and in the real world, perfect conditions are rare: You’re surrounded by walls, windows, other wireless devices, and power lines, all of which can affect how well a cordless phone performs.

Panasonic’s phones have a stated range of 1,300 feet, and VTech claims its top-of-the-line phones (including AT&T-branded models) have ranges of up to 2,300 feet. You and your phone should be able to roam around your house or apartment-and even your yard-without dropping the call.

Range: One of the biggest benefits of a cordless phone is that you can use it far from its base, and the farther you can go without your call breaking up, the better.

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